Impossibility of Farewell
by naraku-doll
Summary: Ib won't let Garry leave without promising and repromising to visit. Pointless headcanon regarding the (good) ending of the game. NOT a shipfic.


A short rambling on my headcanons regarding what happened after the ending of Ib. Of course I''m writing about the good ending. This fic is utterly pointless, you have been warned.

Also, this is most certainly NOT a ship fic. Hell naw. I firmly disbelieve that Garry is into is too much of a sweetheart for something as squicky as that, and their friendship is nothing more than platonic, born from surviving life-threatening situations together.

**Impossibility of Farewell**

Ib's parents were a little nervous when their daughter returned to them holding the hand of a strange young man. She had been gone for quite a while and they were beginning to get seriously worried by the time she reappeared, but Garry's calm, polite ways and sincere voice soon put them more at ease as Ib introduced them, explaining that she had gotten lost in the gallery and Garry had helped her find her way back. As Ib did not let him leave once she had found her parents (though she did let go of his hand), they found themselves chatting as they made their way out of the gallery (for Ib was quite ready to leave, thank you very much), and decided that he was a most agreeable young man indeed.

They were surprised, though, at how Ib clung to Garry when they had to leave, very nearly crying and making him promise and repromise to see her again and to come visit. Garry, after glancing awkwardly at Ib's parents, could only agree to her wishes, especially since he still had her handkerchief.

-"Ib, let poor Garry go, stop bothering him", said Ib's confused mother. "I'm sorry, I don't know why she's so clingy today" she said apologetically to Garry.

-"Oh please ma'am, don't worry, she's no bother at all! You have a very sweet daughter. She's very brave too. Don't worry Ib, I'll come visit you if it's all right with your parents". He answered, turning from Ib's mother to Ib as she continued to cling to his arm.

At this point, of course, Ib's parents did not have much choice in the matter, and decided that there was no harm in exchanging telephone numbers. Ib seemed really quite distressed about saying goodbye to Garry, and although they did not understand what brought on such a strong reaction after only knowing Garry for such a short time, they surmised that it would save them a lot of drama and tears to comply with Ib's demands, since, at least by first impressions, Garry did not look like he would hurt a fly. In this way, they were finally able to say their goodbyes and each headed back home.

Ib did not wait more than two days until she snatched Garry's phone number out of her mother's purse and dialed it. "Hello Garry!" She said excitedly when he picked up the phone.

"Ib! Is that you? How are you doing, brave little princess?"

"I'm doing fine, but I want to see you, Garry!"

"Oh goodness. Well i'm glad you're doing well now. Yes Ib, I need to give you back your handkerchief, don't I? But you'll have to ask your parents when I can come see you."

"Ok, wait a minute" she said as she scampered off to look for her mother.

"Garry? You're talking to Garry?" Ib's mother was, once again, surprised at her daughter's question. "I see, well, I suppose we could all go out for coffee, maybe Thursday afternoon..." And so it was settled.

Thursday afternoon came, and so did Garry. Ib was overjoyed, Garry was his usual polite and friendly self, and Ib's parents were glad to know a little more about this stranger that their daughter had become so invariably attached to. They learned that he was a graduate student at the local university, and worked part-time at an art supply store. He lived with his mother in the southern suburbs of the city, and rode the subway every day to get to school and work. He had quite an interest in art, though he admitted that he had only started to draw about a year or two ago, and still wasn't very good at it.

Naturally, when the time to leave came, Ib did not let Garry go without promising to visit her again, and this time her parents seconded the invitation, giving Garry their address and inviting him to come over some time for tea. So of course Garry did come again, bringing macarons for Ib, and once more before he left Ib made him promise to come again. And so on. In this way, Garry became a regular family friend.

Over time, and after frequent visits both _from_ Garry and _to_ Garry, Ib's parents began to trust him completely, and hardly a month went by when Garry and Ib did not see each other in some way or another. He would take her to the park, sometimes to the zoo (never to art galleries. No.), or they might run into each other on the subway. When Ib's parents went out for the evening or had to work until late, the first person they called was always Garry.

When Ib was fourteen, Garry got married. His wife was a sweet, energetic woman with bright eyes, a ready smile, and laughter that bubbled up like a spring in summer washing over everyone around her. Garry had met her at his university when he had tripped over her display on Child Welfare while she was setting it up .

The wedding took place a beautiful day in early May, and of course Ib and her parents attended. They had met Ritsuko several times before while she and Garry were dating, and the two were, by general consensus of most everyone present at the wedding, the nicest, politest, sweetest young couple that anyone knew.

Ib could not have been happier for her dear friend, and the fact that he was now married did not change their visits in the slightest. Ib liked Ritsuko very much (the feeling was mutual), and since the new couple's house was now conveniently close to Ib's middle school, she often visited before catching the bus home, or did her homework there on the days she had Origami club in the afternoon.

However, though Garry's heart was entirely Ritsuko's, she never _did_ quite understand why, one night when she happened to mention an artist named Guertena, he went pale and quickly changed the subject. Or why he affirmed that Macarons Were Important.


End file.
